Page 17 of Autumn & Woods
I took a sip of the second drink Taj passed me, and it was stronger than the first.
“So, you’re Qua’snewwoman, huh?” Yohana mumbled under her breath, barely above the clink of silverware. I glancedup from my plate. Her eyes were glued to mine as she pushed around the collard greens like they offended her.
I blinked. “New? You say that like he’s some clearance rack item you used to own.”
Ty choked on his cornbread as Yohana’s fork paused mid-push. “I’m just saying… nobody’s beenkeptaround since me.”
I leaned back in my seat, calmly, and glanced over at Woods, who wiped his mouth with a napkin. Before he could check her, I did the honors. “Hmm. And you’re clearly still on the sidelines, all pressed and watching. You cool, love?”
“Perfectly fine,” she said, smirking. “Just hope you can handle him.”
“I can,” I replied, sipping my drink. “I’ve never been known to fumble a pass.”
Woods set his fork down. “Aight. Y’all chill. This ain’t even gotta be all that.” We both looked at him, and she rolled her eyes while I smirked, shaking my head. He gripped my thigh under the table and said, “We tryna eat and vibe out. All that catty, petty shit can be taken on the other side of the front door.” He let his eyes cut to Yohana, and she looked away, cheeks tight.
“Amen,” one of the aunties said from the couch, not missing a beat. “Now pass me that potato salad and stop all that fussing. Grown folks tryna eat.” The room chuckled, and just like that, the tension eased.
“So anyway,” the woman I knew as Woods’ mother roared, pointing her fork at me. “What is it that a pretty girl like you does, hun?”
“I’m a hair stylist back in Arbor Hills. Born and raised here in Tavern City, but after hair school, I left.”
“Ain’t she beautiful?” Sherry beamed, reaching for her red cup. “And that energy? Autumn always been sharp. Whole lotta grace with a lil’ sass. She remind me of myself back in the day.” She winked.
Big Mama chimed in. “That’s why I made two sweet potato pies when I heard you were comin’. One for the table and one for you.”
“Aww, thank you,” I said, genuinely touched. “You know I been dreaming about that pie since forever.”
“And nobody better touch hers,” Taj hollered. “She will square up over that pie.”
“Damn right,” I muttered into my napkin, laughing.
Woods leaned in a little, and his cologne had me weak for a second. I should’ve slapped him upside his head right then and there for whatever game was being played at the table. I kept my cool, though. “You gon’ share your pie wit’ me?” he asked finally, low, leaning in further so only I could hear him.
I stabbed a green bean and looked at him straight in the eye. “I don’t like to share. Isn’t that obvious?”
He smirked, sipping from his cup. I didn’t say anything else. I just kept on eating while trying to ignore the heartbeat in my pussy. Taj and Ty were laughing about something two seats down. Big Mama was asking who wanted more ham. Yohana was scrolling through her phone, glancing up every ten seconds.
“Autumn,” Ty said, sliding his quiet date a buttered roll. “You got any crazy family traditions for the holiday?”
I swallowed my bite. “I don’t, uh… have much family. It’s just me and my dad. We usually spend Christmas together, though. I do most of the cooking.”
“You cook?” Woods blinked. “Like, real cook or air fryer cook?”
“Do not play with my girl like that,” Taj defended me. “She can throwdown!”
“I love a woman who can cook,” Woods whispered to me, his fingers moonwalking slowly up my thigh under the table.
I quivered and gripped his hand to stop him. I side-eyed him. “You just gotta chime in on everything?”
“I didn’t say it for them,” he replied, dipping into his yams. “I said it for you.”
I blinked slowly. This man was… so unserious. But the way he was talking, all calm with a hint of a smirk, has my pulse racing.
“You should let her cook for you then,” Yohana cut in, eyes sharp like her voice wasn’t soaked in shade.
“Maybe I will,” he said, not even looking her way.
Dinner kept going with stories from old family reunions and one of the uncles telling the same damn jokes he probably told every Thanksgiving since ’99. Big Mama hummed in between sentences. Drinks were refilled. That good, familiar chaos. Woods and I just… vibed. Our chemistry and sexualtension were crazy. And underneath all of that, Yohana just watched us.
